Device for carrying out chemical processes by electrolysis.



V. GERBER.

DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT CHEMICAL PROCESSES BY ELECTROLYSIS.

APFLICATmN FILED JAN. I4. |919.

:l ,@LBQD Patented App 29, 1919.

Inveworr:

VKTOl-, GEBJBER, @E BADEN, SWEZERJLLWD.

DEVICE EUR, CARRYllNG @UT CHEMCAL PRCESSES BYE ELECTRUT "JZ'Sm LSLSSZ,

Application filed January M, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may Concern Be it known, that l, Vm'ron Gnnenn, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Baden, Bruggerstrasse 3l, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful llmprovements in Devices for Carrying @ut Chemical Processes by Electrolysis; and ll do hereby declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention has reference to improvements in a device for carrying out in asimple manner such chemical processes by electrolysis that can be carried into ed'ect by a pure chemical process only in a complicated and imperfect manner. The device according to this invention is particularly adapted for carrying out chemical processes of the kind in which an electrolyte has to be used as starting substance.

rlhis invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating by way of example several embodiments of the invention.

ln this drawing:

Figure 1 shows partly in a vertical longitudinal section and partly in front view a first construction according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionthrough a cell subdivided into two parts by a diaphragm, and

Fig. 3 shows a spraying device for wash-A ing the parts adhering to a roll back into a cell.

Referring at first to Fig. 1, a denotes a long trough of non-conducting material subdivided into a plurality of cells by trans verse walls of non-conducting material. 'lhe partition walls b do not entend up to the upper edge of the trough as. Near to the upper end of each transverse wall I) is mounted rotary metallic rolls c, and c respectively. rllhe metallic rolls c, c constitute therefore the upper inclosing members of the cells. Instead of using solid metallic rolls,

also rollers of any suitable material covered with a layer of metal may be provided above the walls b. lnto the two cells provided at both ends of the trough a project electrodes c and f respectively of known lPa'tented Apr., 29, H9119..

Serial No. 271,075.

stance two adjacent cells as' and y. Between these cells is arranged a. roll 0. When it is assumed, that the electric current'passes in .the direction of the arrow Z through the cells, and when it is further assumed, that the rolls are yet stationary, then the part of the roll c dipping into the electrolyte of' the cell :v acts as anode, while the part of the same roll which dips into the electrolyte of the cell y acts as cathode. Upon a rotation of the rolls, for instance in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. l, the parts of the rolls exchange their rles, a'. c. the parts which were just acting as a-nodes act now as cathodes and vice versa. Should the current pass in the opposite direction with regard to the arrow d' through the cells, then the sense of rota-tion of the rolls would have preferably also to be changed. The electrolyte in cell g/ now contains the cathion oa', while the electrolyte in thecell a: contains the anion Further, the metal Mc of the roll c constitutes together with the discharged or deposited an insoluble combination Me. rlhe latter is transported by the rotating roll c into the cell y, where forms again an ion, the combination a with the ions a and being thus obtained in said cell y, whereby the metal Me of the roll is regenerated. The whole process hereinbefore described consists therefore in a transport or" the anion from the cell into the cell y by means of the metal Me of the roll acting as carrier. lFor the purpose of transporting` in the manner referred to, for instance ion of chlorin or ion of sulfate (in cold solution) it is advisable to use silver, and for the transport of ion of hydrogen and ion of oxygen respectively, in alkaline solution, copper, nickel or iron may be used, while, when dissolved in an acid solution, rolls of lead may be used. Sulfur-ion can be conveyed by any one of the metals above lll@ Ell@

vthat it is also possible to work with ing electrolytes, the electrolyte being caused mentioned. In the same .manner the rolls are also adapted to act as conveyers or oarriers for the cathions, the discharged cathion a depositing in the cell y on the roll and forming in the cell -while it passes electrolytically again into the solutionwith the anion (5 the combination a with the ions a and With the exception of the cells provided at both ends of the device hereinbefore described no generation of gas takes place in any other cell of such a battery durin its normal Working. Consequently, the diiferences in concentrations to be observed on the conveying or transporting rolls are not effaced with regard to the remaining electrolyte; the newly formed combinations consequently sink, in case they appear in concentrated solution, and are in this manner withdrawn to further electrolysis.

In order to take advantage from these dierences in the concentration present in the electrolyte, it is advisable to use solutions having a temperature of about 15 C., as higher temperatures would also have the efect to cause a mixing. When requisite, the cells may be subdivlded into two parts by means of. diaphragms g parallel to the axis of the rolls (see Fig. 2). When the electrolytes of the cells are suiiiciently enriched with the new-formed combinations, the cells are' emptied and filled with fresh electrolytes.

The just described working of the device corresponds to an intermittent manner of operation. It will be understood, howver,

to pass through each cell apart. In such a case it is advisable to electrolyze warm solutions and to make the space of the cell narrow in the direction of the stream, e'. e. to make the distance between the rolls small. Further, in order to prevent, in such a case, a stronger intermixing of the solutions of two adjacent cells, for instance of the cells :c and y, in consequence of the rotation imparted to the roll lying between said two cells, z'. e. in the present instance to the roll c, the parts of the electrolyte of w adhering to the roll may be washed back into the cell m by means of a spray device h, (Fig. 3). Whenl requisite, the concentration of the electrolyte flowing through the cell may be maintained of the required density by means of a suitable substance.

As it will be seen from the following eX- amples, the device described admits of carrying out chemical conversions in aqueous solutions. In connection with these examples it is assumed, that the direction of rotation of the rolls and the direction of iow take place in the direction above mentioned. The

signs or symbols G9 and (D signify 9654() coulombs (electro chemical equivalent Leonesa charge) of positive and negative electricity respectively.

Example 1.

The resulting phenomenon is:

2Nac1+o(oH)-=2Naon+cao1..

Example 2.

It is assumed, that the metal of e is silver and that of e lead. It is further assumed, that the solutions on the left of the rolls e are solutions of common salt and that the liquid on the right is water acidulated with sulfuric acid. The phenomena taking place are the following:

Side of the cathode.

Side of the anode.

The resulting phenomenon is therefore:

Nac1+n2o=Naon+nor Ewample 3.

It is assumed, that the metal of e' is again silver and that of e lead. It is further assumed, that the solutions on the left of e are alternatively solutions of common salt and gypsum and that the li'quid on the right of the rolls e is wateraeidulated with sulfuric acid. Thus, the arrangement in the opposite direction of the current is the 'following: solution of common salt-'roll of silver-acidulated water-roll of lead-#solution of gypsum-roll 'of silver-acidulated water-roll of lead-solution of common salt.

The occurring phenomena are:

Side of the cathode.

What I claim now 'as my invention is: 1. A device for carrying out chemical Latinas processes by electrolysis, comprising a receptacle subdivided into cells containing electrolytes, a positive electrode arranged in the cell provided at one end of the receptacle, a negative electrode arranged in the cell provided at the opposite end of the receptacle, means provided between adjacent cells adapted to act as carriers for the substances adhering thereto When current is supplied to said electrodes, and means for movlng said first mentioned means so that the part of the latter situated in one cell is alternately brought into the adjacent cell owing to the movement imparted to said means.

2. A device for carrying out chemical processes by electrolysis, comprising a receptacle subdivided into cells containing electrolytes, a positive electrode arranged in the cell provided at one end of the receptacle, a negative electrode arranged inthe cell provided at the opposite end of the receptacle, rolls provided between adjacent cells adapted to act as carriers for the substances adhering thereto when current is supplied to said electrodes, and means for moving said rolls so that the part of each roll situated in one cell is alternately brought into the adjacent cell ovving to the movement imparted to said roll.

3. A device for carrying out chemical processes by electrolysis, comprising a receptacle subdivided into cells containing elec*- trolytes, a positive electrode arranged in the cell provided at one end of the receptacle, a negative electrode arranged in the cell provided at the opposite end of the receptacle, metallic rolls provided between adjacent cells adapted to act as carriers for the substances adhering thereto When current is supplied to said electrodes, and means for moving said metallic rolls so that the part of each roll situated in one cell is alternately brought into the adjacent cell owing to the movement imparted to said roll.

4. A device for carrying out chemical processes by electrolysis, comprisin a long trough subdivided into cells containing electrolytes, a positive electrode arranged in the cell provided lat one end of the trough, a negative electrode arranged in the cell provided at the opposite end of the trough, metallic rolls provided between adjacent cells adapted to act as carriers for the substances adhering thereto when current is supplied to said electrodes, and means for rotating said metallic rolls so that the part of each roll situated in one cell is alternately brought into the adjacent cell.

lln testimony that ll claim the foregoing as my invention, ll have signed my name.

Dn. VIKTOR- GERBER.

fic v 

